The Bells Are Ringing (WIP)

I was invited to do a watercolor demonstration by the Cincinnati Watercolor Society - it was scheduled for this last Wednesday.  Unfortunately, Mother Nature didn't cooperate and dumped many inches of heavy snow over western Ohio.  Our particular area received 9 1/2 . Needless to say - the meeting and demonstration was rescheduled for October 2, and I was left with 2 partially finished watercolors.

The particular technique I was going to demonstrate involved the application liquid mask before the step of pouring.  My task for the next couple of weeks will be to finish pouring and painting these pieces because the liquid mask cannot be left on the paintings - it will not be removable after a period of time, and I would rather not gamble. 

Step 1:  The first of these two paintings I call "The Bells are Ringing",  on a 1/2 sheet of  Fabriano Artistico 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.  The drawing was loosly based on the flower Foxglove with much artistic license involved.  I then drew on my drawing with Pebeo drawing gum - my favorite mask.  It too me hours because I apply it with the sharpened end of a paint brush dipped in the mask.  I use this method because it allows me to do this with detail.

1.

Step 2:  The next step is the pouring...first I prepared the paint which is actually acrylic ink mixed with water.  I mix the colors in individual small baby food jars.  I use acrylic ink because it will not lift and the colors are awesome when poured. I pour, wet-into-wet, dropping the paint onto the paper with an eye-dropper and moving the paper around allowing the colors to mingle and blend.

2.



Step 3:  Using my watercolors, I begin to paint, from the top to the bottom - as I finish an area, I remove the mask.

3.

As you can see, there is much detail and this is a long process...I would say tedious, except that when you love painting, it isn't tedious.  I will continue to post as this progresses.